Mediterranean Navigation Day 16
Mediterranean Navigation
Day 16 - Monday, March 17, 2025 – Explore Valencia, Spain; City of Arts & Sciences; Sample Paella
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day from Valencia, Spain! The forecast was for an 88% chance of rain, but after breakfast we docked at the large container port of Valencia with only a few low clouds.
After breakfast the Blue and Red Groups combined to form the Purple Group for our exploration of the city. Our local guide was Adella who welcomed us to the third largest city in Spain and home to the fourth largest commercial port in Europe.
Our panoramic tour began in the dry bed of the Turia River where the local architect, Santiago Calatrava transformed the river bed into a huge cultural center known as the City of Arts and Sciences begun in 1996. Included in the modern complex is an aquarium, science museum, Imax theater, planetarium, botanical garden, and opera house.
We continued our discovery in the historic center, where we were able to experience the Fallas Festival going on from March 14-19. Historically, the festival began as a welcome to spring, but now it includes fireworks and the burning of huge paper mache sculptures.
The sculptures are built by the local neighborhoods and depict cartoonish characters. Some are more elaborate than others but they can cost up to 300,00 Euros. Neighborhood bands followed men and women in elaborate traditional Valencian costumes dancing in the crowded streets.
The City Market of Valencia was huge. Adella and Aziz gave us an assignment to purchase an item from the local vendors. Aziz provided us with a slip of paper naming the item and a few coins to purchase it. We were to buy sunflower seeds called pipas in Spanish. We had time to wander around the market already busy with local people who were buying delights for tonight’s celebrations.
Just as we walked back to the bus it began to rain a little. The bus driver took us to The Valencia Club Cocina where we helped to prepare a traditional dinner of rice, chicken, fava beans, green beans, tomatoes, saffron, paprika, called Paella, a Valencian specialty.
After enjoying the lunch we prepared, we drove back to the Clio. The ship left the port at 5:00pm, sailing to Barcelona, the last stop on our Mediterranean Navigation.
Accommodations: M/V Clio
Comments
Great pictures! Is saffron cheaper there?
Another busy day. Valencia could probably use another discovery day, but on to Barcelona. I made Paella for my book club group when we read The Sun Also Rises. I used shrimp and chorizo. It was good, and paella is a very adaptable recipe. From what I heard once it was a dish to use up leftovers. I hope you have good weather tomorrow!
Yes, sounds like another good day. Winds unbelievable over night and continuing today. Daffodills, tulips, hyacinths, iris lots of little things peaking through but cold and so very windy today. Keep enjoying your trip, you are not missing spring here now.
What an interesting day you had! You missed terrific winds here and a flock of 40-50 wild turkeys roaming through our neighborhood. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Post a Comment!Beeeeautiful Pictures! What fun!
L'Hemisfèric, The Eye
Fallas Sculpture
Locals Celebrating
The Central Market
Valencia Paella
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Day 18: Mediterranean Navigation
Day 18 - Wednesday, March 19, 2025 – Disembark Ship & Return to USA
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